HANDHELD DEVICE WITH THERMAL BODY-CARE ELEMENT

1 . A handheld device for application to a skin surface of a human or animal comprising:

a) a housing arranged and configured for gripping by a human hand having a mount for a thermal body-care element;

b) a thermal body-care element (1) operatively connected to the mount on the housing and (2) having a body-care surface arranged and configured to transfer heat and motion to the skin surface;

c) a motion-generating system contained within the housing comprising a motor (1) operatively coupled to the body-care surface to impart motion thereto and (2) electrically coupled to an internal electric power source contained within the housing; and

d) a heat-generating element thermally coupled to the body-care surface comprising:

i) a container having at least one thermally conductive surface enclosing an electric heater in thermal contact with a thermal energy storage medium;

ii) an electrical connection for selective coupling to an external electrical power source;

wherein the heat-generating element container is disposed within the thermal body-care element, and the external electrical power source is external to the handheld device.

2 . The handheld device of claim 1 , wherein the body-care surface comprises the thermally conductive surface of the heat-generating element container.

3 . The handheld device of claim 1 , wherein the body-care surface is arranged and configured to hold a supplemental body-care component.

4 . The handheld device of claim 3 , wherein the supplemental body-care component comprises a porous material.

5 . The handheld device of claim 3 , wherein the supplemental body-care component further comprises at least one cleanser, at least one skin benefit agent, or combinations thereof.

6 . The handheld device of claim 1 , wherein the electric heater is selected from the group consisting of an electrical resistance heater, a positive temperature coefficient heater, cartridge heater, and combinations thereof.

7 . The handheld device of claim 6 , wherein the electric heater is a positive temperature coefficient heater.

8 . The handheld device of claim 1 , wherein the heat-generating element further comprises temperature control elements.

9 . The handheld device of claim 8 , wherein the temperature control elements comprise a creep action switch.

10 . The handheld device of claim 1 , wherein the thermal energy storage medium comprises a sensible heat storage medium.

11 . The handheld device of claim 1 , wherein the thermal energy storage medium comprises a phase change storage medium.

12 . The handheld device of claim 11 , wherein the phase change storage medium comprises a wax or a wax mixture

13 . The handheld device of claim 12 , wherein the thermal energy storage medium comprises about 1 to about 5 grams of the wax or wax mixture.

14 . The handheld device of claim 1 , wherein a pressure block is disposed in the container.

15 . The handheld device of claim 1 , wherein the motion is selected from the group consisting of vibration, reciprocation, oscillation, rotation and combinations thereof.

16 . A system comprising the handheld device of claim 1 and an energizing stand.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the electrical connection for the heat-generating element is electrically connected through the housing to an electrical connector on an external surface of the housing, the energizing stand engages the electrical connector to energize the heat-generating element, and the energizing stand is selectively coupleable to a power grid.

18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the energizing stand engages the electrical connector of the heat-generating element to energize the heat-generating element, and the energizing stand is selectively coupleable to a power grid.